Best podcast:

Fascinating discussion with Jamie Love, Director of Knowledge Ecology International, an organisation deeply involved in tackling major worldwide issues around intellectual property, international trade and access to medicines. In this podcast, Love discusses trade deals, ways of dealing with the huge (and growing) issues around prescription medicines, such as high (and unjustifiable) cost for many of them, unfair and unequal access, and the challenges presented by the current patent system in dealing with them. He also discusses the big legal case in India, where the patent of a cancer medication was rejected by the Indian government, to prevent spiralling costs to the government and the public, by ensuring generic "off patent" drugs were available for doctors and patients; and other similar stories from recent times. He also presents some potential solutions to the issues he outlines, and where the world is heading in coming years.

Tea with Alice: "Stripping for Jesus: Jarrod McKenna". Host Alice Fraser catches up for an extended chat with Mr Jarrod McKenna. Amongst working as a pastor, he is a prominent leader in the modern Christian community, for his work as a nonviolence activist, leader in the #LoveMakesAWay movement (seeking to end "Australia's inhumane asylum seeker policies"), through means including peaceful protesting (generally singing and praying) in politician officers. He does other cool stuff too, which he chats about in the podcast, and on his Facebook page. View In iTunes

Banter: "#173 Peter Wallison on the 2008 Financial Crisis". Whilst I can often stridently disagree with both the hosts and the guests on the Banter podcast, I find it a very interesting and useful look at the world through a decidedly economically 'conservative' (I dislike these labels very much, but that's a story for another day) viewpoint. This is no exception, with the guest, author Peter Wallison discussing his latest book, in which he describes why the Global Financial Crisis of recent years was the fault of government policy, and, contrary to the general view, the private sector bears no/minimal blame, and as such should not see higher regulation and punishment (and that efforts to expand regulation have been the cause of the slower than expected recovery). Interesting perspective, take a listen and see what you think. View In iTunes.

New podcast discovery:

Tea with Alice. I think I'm a bit behind on this, but comedian (and former lawyer) Alice Fraser hosts a very excellent chat podcast. Each week she features someone very different from the last, with unique perspectives on the world around them. Check it our on iTunes here, and/or follow her on Twitter.